Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 15 Jun 1995

Vol. 454 No. 5

Written Answers. - Science and Technology Parks.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

30 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the long term plans, if any, he has for the provision of science and technology parks linking in to business startup facilities in centres of high unemployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10970/95]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

The recent report of the Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council, in dealing with science parks, recognised that such parks could make an important contribution to industry — third level interactions, the exploitation and knowledge for national benefit and the promotion of capability and competitiveness in industry. It also recognised, however, that the experience in relation to such parks was not uniformly good and that some science parks had failed to live up to the expectations of their promoters.

The provision of science and technology parks has to be seen in the context of the prioritisation of the various national science and technology activities and their funding requirements. In this regard, the Advisory Council made a number of institutional recommendations concerning how such priorities could be established and these, along with the other recommendations of the council, are currently being considered by the Travers Task Force established by the Government for that purpose. My attitude to the provision of science and technology parks will be determined in the light of the Government's considered response to the deliberations of the task force.